Alarm-valve for locomotive track-sanding apparatus.



PATRNTRD DRG. s, A903.y C. LONGSTRRTR. ALARM VALVR POR LoooMoTYIVE TRACK SANDING APPARATUS.

,A /A j Wr A UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LONGSTRETH, OF LANSDOWNE, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE SANDER COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEI/V JERSEY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

ALARM-VALVE FOR LOCOMOIIVEV TRACK-SANDlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'Nevecev, dated Deeember 8, i903.

Application filed July 24, 1903.

To a whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LoNGsrRETH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, havein ven ted certain Improvements vin Alarm-Valves for Locomotive Track-Sanding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement upon the alarm-valve for automatic track-sanding ap- 1o paratus which forms the subject of the pat-V ent of H. L. Leach, No.572,428, dated December 1, 1896, one object of my present invention being to so construct such a valve as` to facilitate the manipulation-of the same, I5 and a further object being to overcome certain defects in the patented valve which arose from the relations to each other of the operating-handle, the vent-opening, andthe valve controlling the latter.

The figure in the accompanying drawing is a vertical section, partly in elevation and on` an enlarged scale, of an alarm valve constructed'in accordance with my present inf` Vention.

1 represents the casing of the valve, having an inlet-branch 2 and an outlet-branch 3, separated bya partition 4, in which is a seat for a valve 5, the latter forming the lower termination of a threaded stem 6,`which is 3o adapted to an internal thread in a vertical branch 7 of the valve-chest and passes through a stuffing box at the top of said vertical branch.

The thread upon the stem 6 and the branch 7 is a multiple thread, preferably la triple thread, so that a sufficient movement of the valve 5 to properly opeu'or close the same cauV be effected by a partial turn of the stem 6. Hence I am enabled to facilitate the op,- 4o eration of the valve and permitted to use a projectingr handle 13 on the valve-stem, which is more conveniently manipulated than the wheel formerly used and rendered necessary by the fact that several turns of the stern were required lin order to properly `open or close the valve.

The 'valvestem 6 has acentral bore 8 communicating at its lower Vendthrough an open- Serial No. 166,906. (No model.)

ing 9 with the outlet-chamber of the valvechest and also communicating.,lr 'at its upper 5o end through a contracted passage 10 with a chamber contained within a boss 11, projecting from the hub 12 of the handle 13, which is secured to the upper end of the valve-stem 16, said boss 11 being by preference diametrically opposite to the projecting handle 13.

In the top of the boss 1l is an opening 14, which is normallyin free communication with the chamber within the boss, but which can be cut off from communication with said chamber by means of a valve 15, free to slide longitudinally in the chamber, said valve being normally retracted by means of a spring 16 acting upon a collar 17 at the outer end of the valve-stem, but such outward movement being limited by means of a stop-screw 18, which is adapted to a threaded opening in the boss 11 and enters a slot 19, formed in one side of the valve-stem, as shown by dotted lines.

When the attendant grasps the handle 13 of the valve in order to open the same and permit flow of air under pressure through the chest 1in order to operate the sanding apparatus, the valve 15 can be conveniently 75 closed by pressure of tha thumb upon the outer end of said valve-stem, so that any escape of air through the opening 14. will be prevented; but if the attendant removes his hand from the handle 13 for any reason the valve l5 is at once retracted, and the air escapes with a whistling noise from the opening 14, thus constantly attracting attention until `the valve is again under control or has been closed, whereupon as air is then cnt off:` from the outlet-chamber of the valve-chest no escape can occur through the passage 8.

' While this valve is in its operation and purpose substantially the same as that of the Leach patent before noted, the use of the multiple-threaded stem 6 and handle 13 materially facilitates the operation of thevalve 5, and the relation of the valve 15 to the handle 13 is such as to provide for a more convenient manipulation of said valve 15 than was possible in the'patented valve. Moreover, the escaping air is directed away from the hand of the attendant instead of being projected onto the same, as in the patented device. For this purpose the opening 14 need not necessarily be directed' upwardly, as shown, for it could be directed downwardly or through the far vside of the boss 1l, although escape upwardly is preferred.

Having thus described myy invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A stop-valve having a stem with multiple thread and a vent-passage communicating with the discharge-chamber of the valvechest, and a handle having therein a valvecontrolled outlet for said Vent-passage, said outlet being so located as to direct the escaping jet of air away from the hand which grasps the handle, substantially as specified.

2. A stop-valve having a stem with ventpassage therein communicating with the discharge-chamber of the valve-chest, and a handle having an opening communicating with said vent-passage of the valve-stem, and a horizontally-sliding valve for controlling the dow through said opening, substantially as specified.

3. A stop-valve having a stem with ventpassage therein communicating with the discharge-chamber of the valve-chest, and a handle having a boss projecting from the hub of the handle in a direction opposite to that of the grip, said boss having an opening in conlmunication with the vent-passage of the valvestem, and a horizontally-sliding valve for controlling the iow through said opening, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- CHARLES LONGSTRETH.

Witnesses:

F. E. BEoHToLn, J os. H. KLEIN. 

